An Asian taxi driver told yesterday how his life had been ruined by false allegations that he had raped a white teenage girl in his vehicle.

Aftab Ahmed, 44, of Allerton, Bradford, lost his home, livelihood, reputation and found his family relationships and marriage under strain in the 14 months it took for the lies of his 17-year-old accuser to be exposed in court.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates’ Court to a four-month detention and training order after admitting perverting the course of justice.

It emerged that, far from assaulting his fare, the taxi driver had gone out of his way to ensure that the extremely drunk and disorientated girl got home safely and had somebody to look after her.

District Judge David Thomas told her: “You repaid that kindness by alleging that he had raped you. The consequences were disastrous for Mr Ahmed, who was arrested in front of his family.”

The blonde girl made the claim against the taxi driver in January last year after a night of drinking in Bradford with her sister and friends.

Mr Ahmed, who has a degree in political science and once worked as a police officer in Kashmir, told how a group of girls negotiated a £13 fare to take the drunken girl home to Baildon, north of the city. He gave her sister his registration and name before driving off. The trip, which should have taken 15 minutes, took three quarters of an hour because she vomited over the seats six times and Mr Ahmed was forced to stop repeatedly.

Unable to find her home address, he had to knock on doors and ask for directions. At one stage, he stopped a bus to ask the driver. He also phoned the girl’s sister to tell her that she was in a poor state of health, that he was worried about leaving her at home alone and said that he would leave her in the care of neighbours.

Mr Ahmed insisted that he had done his best to look after her but once home she dialled 999 and told police she had been raped. Several hours after he returned to work Mr Ahmed was arrested.

Duncan Wilcock, for the prosecution, said that the girl took officers to a remote spot on Baildon Moor where she claimed that the rape had taken place.

The court was told that the girl had initially made the allegation because she had felt a pain in her groin area and had assumed that she had been raped. As soon as she sobered up, she realised her mistake but continued with the pretence.

Mr Wilcock said: “Mr Ahmed was arrested the same evening in front of his family and endured a degrading, full medical examination, and denied the allegations during interview. He was released on police bail but had his taxi licence revoked.”

After six weeks police were satisfied that the allegations against Mr Ahmed were false but it was not until last month that the accuser admitted she had been keeping up a lie.

Mr Wilcock said: “These allegations have had a profound effect on Mr Ahmed and his family. He is no longer prepared to work as a taxi driver in the evenings for fear of other allegations against him. His wife is taking tablets for depression and it has affected his position within the community.”

Edward Renvoize, for the defence, told the court that his client had made the allegations not out of malice, but naivety and immaturity. She was deeply remorseful.

But the judge told her: “Sorry does not put matters right.” After the hearing Mr Ahmed said he had been forced to sell the semi-detached home he shares with his wife, Amber, 32, and twin 11-year-old daughters because he could not afford the mortgage. He has been ostracised by former friends, relatives and fellow Muslims.

“During the ordeal I had my taxi badge taken away, which meant I could not work. We fell into arrears with the mortgage and the house is now sold because we cannot afford to live here any longer,” he said. “When my twin girls asked me where I had been when I returned from the police station I had to tell them I had been on a long fare. I hated lying to my children and have finally been able to explain what really has gone on.

“The accusations have destroyed my family. It has impacted on myself, my wife and my children. To be accused of rape is the most serious crime in my religion of Islam. It is seen as worse than murder, because we are told to honour women and that they are sacrosanct.

“Four months is not long enough for what that girl has put me through. Her lies have destroyed my life and I feel I will never recover from what has happened to me and my family. The whole thing has been hell.”

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